8 Released Early Access Games Worth Checking Out

It's not hard to understand why anyone would be skeptical of Steam's Early Access program at this point. After all, we've seen games acquire popularity, make some money, and then flame out on more than one occasion. In November of 2014, only 25% of the games that had tried Early Access had made it to release. That's not a great success rate, but there are exceptions. There may be some duds in the program, but these eight games not only made it to release, they're completely worth checking out.

Verdun tackles a setting that not many games have delved into: World War I. The Unity-based shooter throws players into the trenches with bullets flying all around, and the ever-present threat of a gas attack. The Frontlines mode tasks you with defending not just a few control points, but a whole series of trenchlines. You'll also need to push forward and try to take enemy trenches, as well as being prepared for the inevitable counter-attacks. It's not a perfect game, but Verdun is a fun take on a little-used period of history.